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Speedway Sedans Australia News
Author : Jason Crowe – SSA Media
Anthony Beare has won the Speedway Sedans Australia, Coopers National Street Stock Title at Adelaide Motorsport Park before a big crowd, in a race of attrition which saw just three cars finish.
In a race like never before only Beare and second placed Corey Sandow, who progressed from the B Main remained on the lead lap after forty gruelling laps, while veteran Carey Weston finished two laps down in third place.
The race would start with Lenny Bates on pole, after winning all four heats, while defending Champion Rhys Heinrich would start on his outside.
After leading the opening lap, Bates would be passed by Heinrich who then preceded to drive away from the field, leading by over two seconds, while Jacob Mills made the first major move of the race, moving from sixth to third after three laps.
On lap four the first stoppage occurred when Corey Sandow and Darryl Atkinson made contact in turn four, sending both drivers onto the infield.
Behind Heinrich, placings in the chasing pack changed continually, with Jace Kempton, Jayden Edwards and Nigel Reichstein retiring early in the race after being in prominent positions.
Anthony Beare made steady progress through the field, moving to third on lap ten, as a great battle between Bates, Mark Jennings, and Jacob Mills raged through the opening stanza. Mills would be squashed into the front straight fence on lap eleven and would be forced to retire along with Mark Gartner.
A lap later as Brad McClure and Morris Ahearn simultaneously pulled infield as the retiree count started to mount.
On lap thirteen Beare passed Jennings to move to second place, setting out after Heinrich. The duo then preceded to swap the lead for the next ten laps in some classic racing, which had the crowd at Adelaide Motorsport Park on their feet.
Darryl Atkinson and Robbie Faux who were in a great battle for the minor placings both succumb on lap twenty six, with the most significant withdrawals being Heinrich on lap twenty seven, when his steering appeared to break as he hit the fence in turn three. Lenny Bates who was in third at the time, lost a wheel under yellow ending his race at the same time.
Mark Jennings and Darren Giacometti who were also in the lead group would also call it a day on lap twenty seven leaving just seven cars on track.
Beare opened up a commanding lead in the concluding stages, with everyone wondering who would finish, as Neville Nitschke and Craig Buchanan both suffered flat tyres, leaving just five cars on track.
A lap later, Bailey Heinrich who was in second and momentarily challenged Beare for the lead, also retired, leaving just four. Andy Maxwell Jnr who won the B Main would be the final casualty on lap thirty two, leaving just Beare, Corey Sandow and Carey Weston on track.
The three drivers lasted the remaining laps, to complete the most extraordinary race, which had the most epic highs early, to a scramble for survival at the end.
For Beare, the most decorated Street Stock driver in the history of Speedway Sedans Australia competition, won a record fourth National Street Stock Title, to add to his twenty two State Title successes.
Corey Sandow never thought in his wildest dreams he would finish second after making his way via the B Main, while veteran Carey Weston described his third place as not only the highlight of his career, but the survival of the unfittest.
RESULTS
A Main, 40 Laps: 1. V74 Lenny Bates, 2. A1 Rhys Heinrich, 3. S21 Mark Jennings, 4. S14 Nigel Reichstein, 5. S87 Jayden Edwards, 6. N111 Jacob Mills, 7. S46 Anthony Beare, 8. W56 Jace Kempton, 9. S86 Bailey Heinrich, 10. S17 Carey Weston, 11. V32 Darren Giacometti, 12. V115 Robbie Faux, 13. V37 Darryl Atkinson, 14. S7 Craig Buchanan, 15. S38 Mark Gartner, 16. V24 Brad McClure, 17. S132 Andy Maxwell Jnr, 18. S58 Neville Nitschke, 19. V122 Corey Sandow, 20. V54 Morris Ahearn.
Result
1. S46 Anthony Beare, 2. V122 Corey Sandow, 3. S17 Carey Weston (38 laps), 4. S132 Andy Maxwell Jnr (32), 5. S86 Bailey Heinrich (30), 6. S7 Craig Buchanan (29), 7. S58 Neville Nitschke (29), 8. A1 Rhys Heinrich (27), 9. V74 Lenny Bates (27), 10. V32 Darren Giacometti (27), 11. S21 Mark Jennings (27), 12. V115 Robbie Faux (26), 13. V37 Darryl Atkinson (26), 14. V24 Brad McClure (12), 15. V54 Morris Ahearn (12), 16. N111 Jacob Mills (11), 17. S38 Mark Gartner (11), 18. W56 Jace Kempton (9), 19. S87 Jayden Edwards (4), 20. S14 Nigel Reichstein (3). Time: No Time, Winning Margin: 6.363, Fastest Lap: 18.210 A1 Rhys Heinrich (RECORD)
B Main, 20 Laps: 1. S58 Neville Nitschke, 2. V127 Jason DeGoldi, 3. V122 Corey Sandow, 4. S132 Andy Maxwell Jnr, 5. V182 Ricky Throckmorton, 6. V61 Matt Nelson, 7. W92 Paul Briggs, 8. V54 Morris Ahearn, 9. V33 Shaun Henry, 10. V102 Mick Dann, 11. W49 Peter Herbert, 12. V29 Chris Stewart, 13. W221 Evan Wakefield, 14. T135 Matt Atkinson, 15. V48 Michael Clark, 16. W85 Peter Dowie
Result
1. S132 Andy Maxwell Jnr, 2. S58 Neville Nitschke, 3. V122 Corey Sandow, 4. V54 Morris Ahearn, 5. V127 Jason DeGoldi, 6. V182 Ricky Throckmorton, 7. W76 Hayden Norman, 8. V33 Shaun Henry, 9. V141 Darren Forrest, 10. T135 Matthew Atkinson, 11. V48 Mick Clark, 12. V61 Matt Nelson, 13. W85 Peter Dowie (13 laps), 14. W92 Paul Briggs (11), 15. V102 Mick Dann (7), 16. V29 Chris Stewart (7), 17. T177 Corey Bauld (6), 18. W221 Evan Wakefield (0). Time: No Time, Winning Margin: N/A, Fastest Lap: 19.221 S132 Andy Maxwell Jnr
C Main, 19 Laps: 1. W141 Darren Forrest, 2. S18 Jason Duell, 3. W76 Hayden Norman, 4. V5 Steven Watts, 5. T177 Corey Bauld, 6. S15 Sam Brumfield, 7. W181 Peter Walker, 8. Q75 Travis Hutchison, 9. S63 Cody Heinrich, 10. W16 Jack Barnewall, 11. V112 Leigh Gooding, 12. S23 Ben Whitehead, 13. V65 Felicity Roycroft, 14. S6 Grant Harris, 15. W51 Cody Avins, 16. V42 Chris Whatmore, 17. V183 Brooke Ferguson, 18. V93 Andrew Burgoyne
Result
1. W76 Hayden Norman, 2. V141 Darren Forrest, 3. T177 Corey Bauld, 4. S18 Jason Duell, 5. W181 Peter Walker, 6. S6 Grant Harris, 7. S15 Sam Brumfield, 8. V183 Brooke Ferguson, 9. V112 Leigh Gooding, 10. S63 Cody Heinrich, 11. V93 Andrew Burgoyne (18 laps), 12. W16 Jack Barnewall (13), 13. V65 Felicity Roycroft (13), 14. Q75 Travis Hutchison (12), 15. W51 Cody Avins (12), 16. V5 Steven Watts (11), 17. V42 Chris Whatmore (8), 18. S23 Ben Whtiehead (1). Time: No Time, Winning Margin: 0.279, Fastest Lap: 19.286 W76 Hayden Norman
Anthony Beare and the crew after the record breaking win. Photo courtesy of Scott McIntosh
The Podium after 40 Grueling Laps. Photo courtesy of Scott McIntosh